BOYS WILL BE BOYS

Drena Hills

"Boys are capital fellows in their own way among their mates,

but they are unwholesome companions for grown people."

- Charles Lamb

"I don't know whether to be insulted or proud," Kid Curry said wryly as he negotiated the narrow entrance into the rail station with his saddlebags and rifle.

"What you don’t think a $1000 for kidnapping and possibly murder is reasonable?" his partner Hannibal Heyes grinned back ruefully as he remembered the offer.

"I just don't like the idea that out of a roomful of men they singled us out as the type who might do such a job," Kid sighed paying for their tickets and handing his partner his. "I mean is there a big sign on our backs that says, capable of anything?"

"Maybe because we didn't look the type," Heyes said considering the problem as they stepped onto the platform and took in the passengers waiting there.

Breaktown was a small mining community about as far from anywhere as a man could get. The small spur line that ran through it was usually used to carry ore taken from the rich silver mines that dotted the hills, but today the platform was filled with families nervously hoping to leave.

"Guess word got out," Kid said quietly noting the families and counted at least 5 mothers and twice as many children running around them oblivious to the tension their parents were exhibiting.

"Yea this strike is only going to get uglier, especially if offers like the one we got are floating around," Heyes sighed carefully inventorying the passengers. Their was a wife of one of the Chinese rail workers and her two small boys, the black cook from the diner and her boy and girl, the Mexican maid at the hotel and her three little ones, a miner's wife with a boy and a girl and at last a woman look terribly out of place in her eastern fashion as did the small blond boy she kept beside her with a stern glance forbidding him to join the others in the game of tag that had started up.

They had arrived in Breaktown hoping to find a little work and more importantly a lot of poker. But a strike at the main mine had caused a great many bad feelings up and down the line and tempers were escalating into violence. Hired guns had been called in to keep the peace causing the desperate miners to resort to sabotage and vandalism to give them some leverage and keep the talks progressing.

Heyes gave each of the women his best smile as they scrutinized his partner and himself for any kind of threat. He understood their apprehension and made a bet he and Kid would have the end car to themselves and the small, skinny young man sitting on the bench writing away at a journal.

Kid was right, it had been insulting to be singled out for such a job and a little disheartening. Both hoped that with each day they forged honestly, a little of their past would be wiped away, or at least the aura of danger they knew they projected.

The woman's scream brought him back to the present and he turned in time to see his cousin draw and fire. No that was wrong, no one ever really saw Kid fire, your eyes only caught up after the bullet had left the gun.

He turned with everyone else to see the small two-year-old pointing confused at the rabid dog on the end of the platform. It had stole up quietly from the woods and approached the child, who oblivious to the danger of its foaming mouth, had walked towards happily calling for the 'doggie'. The rest of the group preoccupied with the arrival of the train had for the moment been unaware, well everyone but Kid. Kid never missed anything, he seemed to sense danger as it was still forming.

The shot had been a tricky one. The child was the same height as the animal and had blocked a straight shot forcing Kid to shoot down, but he hadn't hesitated and had taken the animal down in a clean kill.

In two strides he reached the child, the platform still frozen and picked up the little boy and with a broad grin and brought him high into the air making him laugh and forget the 'nice doggie' that had been prepared to leap for his throat.

The mother was instantly at Kid's side demanding the boy, almost pulling him from Kid's arms as if he was as dangerous as the dog was. If the action offended his friend, he made no indication, merely turning to help the stationmaster and the conductor remove the animal.

But such skill with a revolver had not been lost on the five oldest boys who had come together as one to stare at Kid with something close to hero worship. They were a mixture between the ages of 8 and 10 and despite their differences instantly connected to discuss what they had seen.

"Nice shot," Heyes said quietly going over to his partner who had decided it was best if he waited at the far end of the platform. "You keep that up you might actually be good someday."

"You see the way she looked at me Heyes? Like I was just as rabid as that dog," Kid said disgusted.

"She was scared," Heyes said understanding.

"Yea of me."

"It's the company you keep, I've warned you that hanging around with me would put you in a bad light," Heyes said darkly.

Kid looked at him for a moment not sure if he was serious and then caught the twinkle in his cousin's eye and a smile emerged as only his partner could do.

"Yea I guess it must be you making me look so dangerous."

Heyes smiled and slapped him on the back, "Look at it this way, you did add five more to your fan club," he said indicating with a cock of his head the group of boys watching them.

"Great, why is it that I always seem to impress ten year old boys instead of twenty year old women?"

"Because women like safecrackers better, I told you, to take that up, but no, you had to go and become the fastest gun in the west."

It forced another grin from his partner as it had been designed to do and they boarded the train in better spirits than they might have. As Heyes had predicted they had the end car all to themselves with the exception of the lone young man who rose to greet them as they entered.

"Gentlemen, my congratulations, that was an excellent piece of marksmanship, Ernest Seton at your service," the younger man said offering his hand.

"Thaddeus Jones, Joshua Smith," Heyes introduced taking it.

"I didn't even see the dog, let alone have the reactions to deal with it," the man said in awe of Kid. "Your senses must be terribly attuned."

Kid looked at the man not quite sure what he meant, but guessing it was a compliment, shrugged, "Just notice things like that," he said modestly.

"Well that child is alive because of you, you are a credit sir."

The man then took a seat at the front part of the car and returned to his writing as the two ex outlaws found seats at the far end near the back door.

"See you’re a credit," Heyes told his cousin with a suppressed grin.

"I'm still not impressing women," Kid said disgusted.

************************************

Night came up quickly and the mountains on the steep narrow grade disappeared into the darkness.

On their third trip past, Heyes actually set his book down and gave them his full attention.

Each attempt had advanced them a little further down the railcar and was always followed by nudging and whispering and the odd dare. He waited to see if this time they would actually make it past them to the end of the car and the door.

He realized the alliance formed on the rail platform had evolved enough to make them chance evading their mothers to get a better look at Kid. Always they started out well, giving their best appearance of nonchalance, only to have one lose heart and turn back and force the other to break and follow suit.

However this time they had incentive, Kid had taken out his gun and was cleaning it.

Such an incredible act could leave an 8-year-old boy spellbound and one by one they walked past until they reached the door and touched it almost triumphantly.

This done they looked at each other not sure what to do. No one had got further in the plan than actually reaching the door next to Kid. So they simply stood and watched.

Kid made no sign he was even aware they were there. He merely continued cleaning his gun and reloading it with a slow, careful, expertise that made the boys run their tongues over their lips.

Finished, Kid Curry stood and the boys took a step back at this suddenly action.

Heyes swallowed his smile as his partner proceeded to return his gun to its holster with a series of twists and twirls that would have done any Wild West showman proud.

It was too much for the boys. One let out a gasp and another merely pulled off his cap and reverently uttered, a 'golly gee'.

Heyes started to chuckle and Kid Curry looked at him and he could see he was fighting a smile. They had been eight once too.

"You fellas headed for Boontown?" Kid asked retaking his seat and pushing back his hat.

Boontown was the next mining town and the boys were clearly meant for the nice respectable farming communities on the other side of it. But Kid's question made them all instantly puff up with pride that they had been mistaken for miners or gunmen.

"No sir," the best dressed one said politely.

Easterner, both men decided and gave him and his starched collar and suit a sympathetic nod.

“Are you a real gunfighter?” the small black boy asked taking a step forward made courageous by Kid’s addressing them.

“And what do you know about gunfighters?” Kid asked with a smile that made the whole group smile back and visibly relax.

“See I told you he wouldn’t shoot us,” the scrawny dark haired boy in rough-cut clothes said to the Chinese boy next to him.

“My mother will kill me if he does,” the boy whispered back.

“We was reading about them in this,” the Mexican boy said pulling a dog-eared dime novel out of his back pocket.

“Your mother know you got that?” Heyes grinned with a wince as he read the cover.

The boys looked at Heyes instantly nervous. He had said the dreaded word.

“It’s all right fellas, he’s my partner, besides mothers don't talk to him as a rule” Kid vouched for Heyes causing him to grin.

The boy’s nodded accepting Heyes on Kid’s word making the outlaw laugh and then forcing him to cover it with a cough when the boys looked at him suspiciously.

Kid merely ignored him and took the magazine. “Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry and the Blazing Guns of Death.”

“They're outlaws,” the Eastern boy explained his eyes alight with excitement at the very idea. "I got it from the orderly on the train out here for only 50 cents. I am ever so excited about the thought of meeting them. Do you think they might hold this train up?"

"You wouldn't want to run into a couple of bad uns like that," Kid said.

“Though I hear the Heyes fella isn't that bad, rather clever and kind, his partner on the other hand…" He stopped as Kid Curry's blue eyes met his with a message he understood completely. Answering with a smile he turned back to the boys. "So you fellas got names?”

As he suspected the one dark haired boy stepped forward first. He was clearly the natural leader though dressed in worn, but clean clothes. “Names Andy,” he said. “This here is Louis, he’s from Boston,” he said introducing the fair-haired boy beside him who slightly bowed at the introduction. “That’s Chih,” he pointed to the Chinese boy. “Jose,” the Mexican boy and then the black child. “And Abraham.”

“Thaddeus,” Kid offered his hand. “My partner here is Joshua.”

“You ever seen an outlaw?” Abraham said crawling up into the seat next him.

“Yea, I’ve seen a few,” he admitted.

“Was you scared?”

“Nah, most outlaws are all talk,” Kid said innocently.

Heyes glared at him.

“Can I hold your gun?” Louis said quietly and then quickly added, “Sir.”

Kid looked at Heyes and Heyes gave him a half shrug. At any moment their mother’s were bound to descend on them and there would be enough of commotion of them even talking to the boys. Mothers just had a way of knowing a bad influence when they saw it.

“It’s okay our moms are looking after the children,” Andy said reading their minds.

“Mine’s asleep,” Louis added and it was clear he was praying she didn’t wake up.

Kid looked at the five pairs of pleading eyes and then with a long-suffering sigh unhitched his gun and removed it. Then as they watched he carefully unloaded it.

“You boys ever held a gun?”

“No sir,” Jose said in rapt attention.

“They aren’t a toy, kill you dead if you don’t treat them right," he met each child's eyes as he said it and they all straightened and tried to look more serious and grown up. It was very important that this man thought them big enough to handle his gun.

“Yes sir I’ll remember,” Louis said taking the gun Kid offered.

The boy’s were instantly crowded around him examining it.

"You got one too huh?" Abraham said looking up at Heyes with large brown eyes. He was the smallest and had been pushed back last.

With a sigh Heyes pulled his out and a moment later the boy’s had two weapons to admire.

“Sure is heavy,” Andy said. “I only ever held a shotgun, knocked me clean over.”

“However is it possible for those gunmen to be so quick on the draw?” Louis said experimenting with a fast draw by pulling up the gun from his side.

“I bet your fast,” Abraham told Heyes with hero worship in his eyes.

“Not me, my partner is the one to watch,” Heyes said a twinkle in his eyes. “Why once I saw him outdraw six men, not one cleared leather and he even stopped to finish his beer after the first three, then got around to disarming the others before they could even think to draw," Heyes smiled innocently. "Why I bet if you asked him he might even show you a few pointers, there are some that say he is even faster than Kid Curry."

All eyes turned on Kid with wonder and hope.

Kid glared at his cousin.

“I think we’ve had enough…”

“Oh please mister!” Jose said desperately.

“A man don’t draw unless he needs to,” Kid said and his look said Heyes was in trouble when they were alone.

“Well they need you too,” Heyes said and the children beamed back at him. “Then again maybe your right, maybe you aren’t as fast as you used to be, getting old, years take their toll.”

The boy’s caught the twinkle in Heyes’s eyes and understood this was a game between the two men and watched delighted.

Kid finally shook his head, “Well I guess I’ll get no rest till I do…” he sighed reaching for his gun from Jose.

He never got it.

The rail car twisted hard and sharp sending everyone on board to the floor.

Kid was able to reach and catch Andy and Abraham and only saw his partner catch Chih and save him from a hard whack against the side of the car, which he took in his place.

Kid saw nothing after that, the lights went out and they were sliding and he suddenly realized from the speed it was because they were no longer attached to the train.

*************************

They had stopped, but the groaning of the car did nothing to dispel anyone’s fears.

It was pitch black except for the light coming from the full moon out the window.

They had all been tossed and down to the far end of the car, which now lay vertical and gave every indication of continuing its downward dive.

“Kid!” Heyes yelled and winced as a sharp pain shot through his side.

"I'm here at the bottom…you okay?"

"Yea, just bruised."

“Car must have uncoupled, were all that went over. We gotta get them off before it goes. We were heading towards the gorge just before it slipped," Kid said back and Heyes could hear one of the boys crying.

Heyes struggled to right himself.

"Sir, were over a ravine!"

Heyes realized it was an older voice and must be Seton.

"Stay put," Heyes ordered knowing anyone panicking could send the car the rest of the way down.

"Are we gonna die?" Chih asked frightened.

"No!" Heyes ordered sharply. "I'm in enough trouble with your mothers as it is."

The dreaded word made the boys think of things worse than death and distracted them enough so they sat quiet in the little nooks of the sideways seats they had fallen into.

Heyes eyes adjusting to the light and realized it was up to him as he had managed to land on a seat closest the door out. Willing himself to ignore the pain in his side he began to climb up and gingerly he opened it.

"I have rope sir if that will help?"

He looked down at Seton impressed. He was calm and keeping his head. Heyes took it grateful.

"I'm gonna try and crawl out and tie this to tree. It looks like were resting on a ledge. My partner will pass the boys up to you and you give them the rope and I'll help them out all right? The trick is keeping this thing balanced so we don't all go over, got it?"

The man nodded and Heyes sighed relieved.

"Thaddeus you get that?"

"Yea," his partner said, but he didn't sound his normal self and Heyes knew he had been kept from telling Heyes how bad it was for fear of scaring the children and he found himself moving even quicker to get the escape in motion.

The car was resting partially on a small ledge jutting out of the cliff and he escaped onto it, but not without a groan and a creak and the car shifting forward a foot causing screams from the boys inside.

Desperate Heyes found a place to anchor the rope and dropped it down to Seton waiting just inside the door.

He waited as Kid began moving the children up and got his bearings. They had fallen further than he had thought possible and find them all alive. The train was above them nearly 300 feet and the sharp climb left them no choice but to continue down to the river another 100 feet below.

Heyes cursed. And then what? Head for civilization? There wasn't much of that in this part of the world. It was rough, untamed country and he had 5 little boys, a stranger and he didn't want to think about what he had done to his side. He suddenly touched his belt and groaned, he was also unarmed, his gun dropped in the heat of the crash.

Chih's head suddenly emerged and he quickly pulled the small Chinese boy to him and safety. Abraham was next, then Jose, and then Louis and finally Andy who reached him worried.

"Sir, I don't think Mr. Jones can get out."

"Thank you Andy, you two stay here with Mr. Seton, I'm gonna go get him."

"Joshua stay put I move this whole car goes over," Kid yelled back.

"Then I better hurry," Heyes replied calmly assessing the problem.

The group behind him watched concerned as Heyes worried through the problem.

"What we gotta do since we know its gonna fall, is make it fall the best way," he said finally.

"How we gonna do that?" Chih said doubtful.

"By leverage and distributing the weight, Ki…Thaddeus what window are you at?"

Kid's hand came out the middle.

"Okay I want you to plan on coming out that window when I give you the word."

"It'll send the car right over," his partner advised him wearily.

"Yea and spit you out as it does if I do this right, just get ready."

Heyes was suddenly a man possessed. He didn't have much time, but he had a plan and his cousin's life was on the line. Quickly everyone was assigned a job of either pushing down or shoving over on his signal.

Seton had been frowning and then finally he understood.

"You're going to slide the car off him!" he said in amazement.

"I hope I am, ready Thaddeus?"

"I think so, but I gotta admit this the craziest plan you ever came up with."

Heyes let out a shout and everyone responded on cue. There was a horrific sound of the car lurching up and over the ledge and then tumbling down the final rocky trail to the bottom and landing in the river with a crash.

"You all right?" The group turned to see Heyes helping his partner up to one knee. His dive out the window had been close, too close.

"Lift the train off me, that is a new one Heyes," Kid said softly. "I lost my gun."

"Me too," Heyes admitted.

The two turned to see the six faces watching them and realized all hope was resting on them.

"I want my mom," Abraham said quietly close to tears.

"How we gonna get back up?" Andy said finally as bravely as he could.

"We aren't," Heyes said untying the rope. "Were going down."

"But what's down there?" Louis said swallowing.

"And you haven’t got your guns," Jose pointed out.

"Or horses," Andy felt the need to add.

"Man don't need a gun or a horse to survive, in fact you shouldn't be out here if you do," Kid said simply.

"But we have no food, no supplies," Seton said a little worried.

"We'll find what we need," Heyes said cheerfully. "First thing we need to do is get down this hill to level ground by the river. We'll then follow it up stream, most towns are always on a river."

"Do you think there are bears?" Abraham said quietly.

"Probably, wolves too," Andy said. "And snakes."

"They're more afraid of you than you are of them," Seton tried.

"I doubt that," Chih admitted honestly.

"Fellas we ain't gonna let anything eat you, I promise," Kid said firmly. "Besides," he added wickedly. "None of you got enough on you to make decent meal, probably prefer me or Joshua."

The boy's stared at him until he grinned and then they grinned back and Heyes gratefully felt some of the tension dissolve.

Heyes grinned, "Come on lets get down this hill and then we can find a place to camp till morning."

It was slow going, but they had enough moonlight to slide down safely to the bottom where the sandy shore waited.

"It's cold," Louis said.

"Let's get you some shelter then it won't be," Kid said pulling out his knife and breaking off branches of leaves. "Now the trick to making one of these is don't make it too big and don't make it so interesting some animals gonna feel the need to come investigate it," he smiled as the boy's watched. "Just build it around you, keeps the heat in."

Minutes later all five boys were snuggly cocooned in little caves of leaves and branches. Seton quickly got the hang of it and helped Kid while Heyes started a fire.

"You did that very quickly," he said amazed.

Heyes smiled, "Just need a bit of flint, "

"But there's no kindling."

Heyes smiled and held up a bundle that looked like a bird's nest stuffing, "Old wasp's nest, work real good starting a fire."

"Always make sure they are empty though," Kid grinned.

The two men smiled at each other sharing a memory and the friendship between them did more to settle the boys to sleep than the warmth of the fire.

***********************************

And hour later the two outlaws, assured their charges were asleep leaned back to consider their options.

"You know we can't go back up that mountain and there is no way anyone is coming down looking for us unless they got killing themselves in mind, I'm not even sure how we got down alive," Heyes sighed leaning back against the tree and closing his eyes.

"Speaking of killing yourself you gonna let me take a look at your side now?"

Heyes opened one eye innocently.

"Don't even think of trying it Heyes you've been nursing it since we left that ledge and you almost jumped out of your skin when you had to catch Jose when he slipped and slid past you."

"Will you quit fussing."

"Come on let me see it," Kid said in a voice Heyes had learned not to argue with.

Reluctantly his partner let him pull up the shirt on his left side and Kid winced as he noted the jagged scrape.

"You really did it good didn’t you," he said mockingly to hide the worry welling up inside of him.

"Well it was me or Chih's head so it seemed the thing to do at the time," Heyes said opening his eyes not fooled by Kid's tone for a moment. "How bad is it?"

"Let me clean it up and I'll let you know," his partner said and went to work.

Heyes shut his eyes and allowed him to work. "That car coming off was no accident you know that."

"Yup, also know whoever did it wanted to hurt someone on that train."

"You mean like us?"

"Well I doubt it was the children, also know someone goes to that much trouble to kill Curry and Heyes," Kid sighed.

"You know they are gonna come looking for the bodies," his partner said gritting his teeth as Kid tied up the wound.

"Which leaves us the problem of what to do about them. Can't leave them out here, they wouldn't have a chance."

"Yea I know. We'll just have to keep our eyes open and hope we come across a cabin or settlement to leave them at," Heyes sighed.

"And then what? We haven't got guns or horses."

Heyes found a smile, "I thought you said a man got no business out here if he needs them to survive."

"Yea and you'll note I said man, not wanted man," Kid grumbled and pulling off his coat placed it over his partner.

"I have a coat."

"Yea, but I got first watch and the cold helps keeps me awake."

Heyes looked up at him almost believing the lie.

"I'm fine Kid."

"You better be, we got a long walk out and I need your brain to help us do it one piece."

********************************

Five small faces woke to the smell of fish baking and escaped their shelters eagerly to join the three men at the fire.

"Where did you get that from?" Abraham asked staring at the fat pieces of fish cooking on the flat rocks in the middle of the fire.

"River," Kid smiled scooping up pieces with his knife and laying them on large leaves he passed them over.

"But how?" Louis said mouth full.

"Block up a pool, knife on a long stick, doesn't take too long if you are quiet," Kid said modestly.

"This is the best fish I ever ate," Chih said reverently.

"Well its gonna have to last you a while so eat up," Heyes said.

"How are you feeling Mr. Smith?" Seton asked.

"Stiff, but I'll be fine," Heyes lied convincingly standing up and walking over to the river. His partner took the hint and followed.

"Figure this leads anywhere?" Heyes asked.

"Yea the Colorado in about 200 miles."

"Funny, anything closer?"

"I heard them say they were working on another spur a bit down the line, might find us a rail worker camp."

"Think they can make it?"

"Don't have much of a choice. So how you feeling?" Kid said scrutinizing the man.

"Never better," Heyes replied straight-faced.

"Heyes, I'm serious, that starts to turn to fever you tell me."

"What so you can carry me? Kid, I'm fine let's just get these folks back before Louis asks me one more question."

"He does ask a lot," Kid grinned as they started back.

"A lot? I wasn't that bad as a child."

Kid stopped and looked at him.

"Okay maybe I was, but I don't remember being that annoying at it."

"Trust me, you were."

*******************************

To his surprise the questions actually seemed to help Heyes forget the dull ache in his side and he had to admit the boys were both intelligent and inquisitive.

"How do you know which way a river is to follow?" Abraham asked as they settled for lunch.

"Get up high, check for a crooked line of willows, or willow like trees, should be a river nearby, though remember depending on the season it could be dry," Kid said cooking the rabbit he had snared over the fire.

"How do you start a fire when it rains?" Louis asked curious. "It must be dreadfully hard to find dry wood."

"Pare off the bark from a tree to reach enough dry wood," Heyes said softly his eyes closed as he rested against the rock he settled against. "Not bark though, or pine cones, won't burn."

"Also look in the center of a stump or dead tree, good kindling and its usually still dry," Kid said.

"You sound like you've spent most of your life living outdoors," Seton said impressed.

"Not from choice," Kid admitted. "And most things we learned the hard way."

"Like blackberries usually grow with poison ivy," Chih said seriously remember how Kid had pulled him from diving into to pick the fruit from the bush.

"Yea like poison ivy and blackberries," Kid grinned.

"Someone should write this knowledge down and then people could venture out into the wilderness with a guide and teach young boys so they would be prepared."

"You mean live outside on purpose?" Kid said trying not laugh. "Now why would a body want to do that?"

Lunch was quickly consumed and the pace was once more picked up. They were making good time despite small legs and Heyes's obvious discomfort. He had forced Kid to take the lead and let him bring up the rear, but it didn't stop his partner from looking back concerned.

Kid finally called a halt early having found shelter under a bluff that was high enough to allow him to do some scouting and not go too far once everyone was settled.

"Gonna be a cold one tonight," Kid said glancing around. "Boys I need you to find me some flat rocks, but not out of the river understand?"

"What are we gonna do Mr. Jones build a house?" Jose asked eagerly.

"Nope gonna build us a nice warm bed to sleep on. Mr. Seton were gonna need some trenches dug, about a foot wide, 8 inches deep, each about two feet long. You all get along with that and I'll be back with dinner."

"I'll start the fire," Heyes said and then gasped as he tried to move.

"You just sit there," Kid ordered. "Andy keep an eye on him, he moves you tie him down."

"Sure will Mr. Jones! I remember those knots you showed me earlier!"

Heyes gave Kid a glare, but Kid merely smiled and disappeared into the trees.

"How exactly is this going to work?" Seton asked an hour later, the trenches built and the flat stones laid in them.

"Gonna build a fire over those rocks, that's why he didn't want them from the river bed, tend to explode," Heyes explained. "Keep it going for about two hours, make them rocks nice and hot and then we cover them up with about four inches of dirt at bedtime. Takes about an hour for the heat to work up and you sleep nice and warm with a good covering of leaves."

He stopped looking up as Kid slid to a halt dinner in one hand and a smile on his face.

"Spotted the rail camp, about 4 miles south, should be able to make it there tomorrow no problem."

A large shout went out, but Heyes squinted and waited until everyone was eating to pull his partner aside.